NO SIGNS AND NO MEANINGS

Aug 27, 2008 Features / Columnists

Bill is getting old: he needs all the help he can get in all things. He is forgetful at the best of times. When he goes to an art show he needs some signposts to tell him what he is seeing. Call Bill simple for that but he does.

He has seen some great art in Carifesta in some unusual places. The National Gymnasium is no longer heaving with sweaty basketball players but full of painting and sculptures and more.

No longer body sculptures but real ones. It’s an interesting space and some very interesting and challenging art there from Trinidad, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Antigua and Guyana.

Mostly clearly explained but them artists’ statements need rewriting into English pronto; some of them read like they swallowed a dictionary.

Bill thought they only did that in the Court of Appeal in Guyana. The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall basketball court is less impressive as a venue and also what’s on display.

Countries which lost out in the lottery for the National Gymnasium are here. British Virgin Islands! New York Diaspora! See what I mean. It is artistic Siberia.

Castellani House is much more impressive. There you can see the treasures of the Guyana National Collections – Greaves, Burrowes, Philip Moore, Savory and Williams among them. With a catalogue sponsored by Don Gomes. So small you can hardly read it.

The National Convention Centre way up there on the Railway Road in Liliendaal is full of Winslow Craig sculptures. They are simply brilliant. Statements in wood.

But they are a secret. A very well kept one. If you go, all you will see is a series of numbers on the plinths. You only know cos Bill tell you it is Winslow. There’s no catalogue. Nuffink.

No catalogue in the National Gymnasium either. The Trinidadians give you a glossy brochure and price list, the Bajans a glossy sheet.

The Guyanese give you nothing. Nada. It is a disgrace and whoever is responsible (or not) on the visual arts committee of Carifesta X should be taken out and shot or forced to print them at their own expense. C’mon Guyana. It beggars belief .Brilliant art, well displayed. No explanation.

Bill is not baffled or confused. He is simply livid at the slackness that gave rise to this. Put some signs and meaning into dem things .Soon please.
Pip! Pip